Non-discrimination

Commission rejects call for new laws protecting national minorities

The European Commission said on Friday (15 January) that it would not propose new laws in response to a petition demanding a protection package for national minorities that garnered 1.1 million signatures across the EU.

Lithuanian MEP told to explain homophobic remarks

A Lithuanian MEP whose Facebook page features a video of him calling gays or transvestites "perverts" has been given until Thursday (14 January) to explain and apologise if he wants to stay in his political group.

Poland, Hungary face EU regional funds blockage over fundamental rights charter

Respect for the EU charter of fundamental rights could be used to withhold EU money going to projects that trample over democracy or discriminate against gay and lesbian people, an EU official has said.

Berlin intends to boost the proportion of women in company management bodies

The German government presented on Wednesday (6 January) a bill that plans to introduce at least one woman into the governing bodies of German companies with more than three directors. EURACTIV France reports.

Spain to keep registry of people who refuse Covid vaccine

Spain will set up a registry of people who refuse to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus and share it with other European Union member states, although it will not be made public, Health Minister Salvador Illa said.

Germany, France a long way from ensuring basic rights of people with disabilities

Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared the goal of a "Union of Equal Rights". A look at Germany and France on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day shows there is still a long way to go. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Germany’s virus stimulus disproportionately benefits men, study warns

The German government's coronavirus stimulus package from July benefits men more than women, according to a recent study by the University of Kassel. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Gay French minister to visit ‘LGBT-free zone’ in Poland

French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune told a magazine to be published Wednesday (9 December) that he is gay and plans to visit a so-called LGBT-free zone in Poland to support local activists.

Germany’s discrimination protection for migrants ‘one of the weakest’ – survey

Germany no longer ranks in the top 10 countries for integration policy, according to new findings from the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). EURACTIV Germany reports.

Less blame, little action for Europe’s Roma during second COVID wave

Romani people, Europe's largest ethnic minority, have been less stigmatised during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic but their social problems have seen little improvement. The EURACTIV Network reports.

EU leaders to back harsher punishment for anti-Semitism

EU leaders will next week adopt a declaration on anti-Semitism urging European governments to impose harsher punishments for online hate crimes and adopt the anti-Semitism definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

Neglected by public policy, women with disabilities face double discrimination

Being a woman with a disability often leads to double discrimination, particularly in France. EURACTIV France looks into this issue that continues to largely go unnoticed by policymakers.

The Brief, powered by Facebook – Refuge of the roads

In the words of Joni Mitchell, the iconic Canadian singer-songwriter, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone, and this phrase has never rung truer than this year. A whole host of privileges, taken by many of us as...

Media reporting on COVID-19 set pace for discrimination

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, discussions on racism, especially anti-Asian racism, have been brought back into the media spotlight and agenda. However, anti-Asian hate continues to spread online.

German cabinet committee agrees to €1 billion package to combat racism

The German Cabinet Committee on Combatting Right-Wing Extremism and Racism agreed to 89 measures on Wednesday (25 November). This package, worth more than €1 billion, includes more aid for victims, changes to criminal law, and the move to replace the word ‘Rasse’ (race) in the German Basic Law. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Diversity in media sector: Still lots of room for improvement

Europe’s newsrooms are still predominantly white and middle-class, though societies are changing at a rapid speed. Experts are calling on the sector to change and enable journalists to reflect the society they are reporting about.

Investors or professionals: How most Hungarian media helped discrimination

Media watchdogs have been sounding the alarm over the shrinking space for media pluralism in Viktor Orbán's Hungary. EURACTIV looks into how discrimination of ethnic and social minorities has evolved in the country and how the development of its media landscape also played a role.

France’s ‘feminist diplomacy’: lots of talk, little action

The term 'feminist diplomacy' used by France since 2018 remains unclear, according to a report by the country's High Council on Gender Equality presented to the government on 18 November. EURACTIV France reports.

Jourova: More homework remains to be done on diversity in media

The under-representation of people with a minority racial or ethnic background in the media, including in media newsrooms themselves, remains a problem that needs to be addressed, and the European Commission is ready to help with funding, Commission vice-president Věra Jourová told EURACTIV in a written interview.

EU states lead UN campaign against anti-Semitism

Twelve EU governments were among the leading signatories on Tuesday (17 November) to a new campaign aimed at combatting rising anti-Semitism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Terrorism and Muslim communities: Europe’s ‘right’ battle

In recent weeks, violent terrorist attacks have shocked France and Vienna, after cartoons of Prophet Mohammed were published by French satiric publication Charlie Hebdo to mark the start of the trial for the 2016 terrorist attacks in Paris.

LGBTQI strategy to protect rainbow families, extend EU crimes to homophobic speech

The European Commission has presented its first LGBTIQ Equality Strategy for the next five years, pledging to be “at the forefront of efforts to better protect” the community’s rights by aiming to tackle discrimination, ensuring safety, building inclusive societies and...

Reporting about Roma: Empathy desirable, but right terminology mandatory

People’s mentality and their attitude towards Roma people depend on a vast historical and cultural context in Romania and they are difficult to change. But they need to be reshaped and myths should be either confirmed or busted, , with the help of the media.

US Christian right-wing groups financed anti-rights campaigns in Europe

US Christian rights groups linked to US President Donald Trump’s administration have spent millions pushing ultra-conservative anti-rights agendas in Europe, a new investigation by openDemocracy, an independent UK-based global media platform, revealed on Tuesday (27 October).